Pressure indicating inflator



y 1932- L. M. MERCIER 1,857,062

PRESSURE INDICATING INFLATOR Filed Nov. '11, 1930 IIIIIIIIIIIIIII' FT T [lav/11111115711111! lnve ni'or Lou i 5 Marcel Nercier Patented May 3,1932

pairs! STATES LOUIS MARCEL MERCIER, OF NEUILLY SUB SEINE, FRANCE PRESSURE inDIonrING. IriirLA'roR Application filed November 11,1930, Serial No. 494,984, and in Belgium November22, 1929.

The present invention relates to pressure indicating inflators and, more particularly, to those of the type designed to be used for inflating automobile tyres.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide signalling means operative to in dicate that a predetermined pressure has been reached. 1

Another object is to provide a device capable of being used with automobile tyres and operative either to indicate that a prede termined pressure has been reached or to diminish the pressure in the'tyre to a predetermined value.

Further objects will appear in the course of the detailed description now to be given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: e

Figure 1 is a plan of one illustrative em bodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an axial section through the device represented in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side-view of the structures shown in Figures 1 and'2;

Figure 4: represents in partial section the valve assembly;

Figure 5 is a similar view of the valve assembly in another position of operation;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the pressure relief valve.

Referring to the various figures of the drawings, there is shown an assembly composed of the following elements; a pressure chamber a terminatingat one extremity in a yieldable nozzle 6 and at the other extremity in a tube or conduit 0 adapted to be connected to a source of fluid pressure, communication between a and 0 being controlled by a three-way valve 0 provided with a passage 0 communicating with the atmosphere (Figure 5) an abutment b positioned in chamber a and adapted to open the valve stemof the tyre: an assembly adapted to grip the threaded portions of the tyre valve consisting of a flexible element 6 provided with an opening 5 and a lever b supporting b and a pressure sensitive signalling system con sisting of a tube a integral withthe walls of chamber a and closed at one end by a washer h, a piston 6 provided with packing rings 6 and slidably mounted in tube a aspring g, tending to move piston 6 towards a, a bevelled valve (Z suspended by a spring f from a transverse pin 7, the latter being supported on a hollow tube 2' extending axially into tube a and piston e, a whistle j of any convenient design forming part of. or built into, tube 2', a head element k" threadedly engaging atone end of tube a and having a thread formed on the outer surface thereof, an internally threaded head 7: coacting with the tre'aded portion of 70 and fitted with a plate 70 extending into a recess ic formed in tube 2', and graduations k on the outer surfaces of elements 70 and 70 adapted to indicate the pressure desired.

The hereinabove described assembly operates in the following manner: Nozzle b is forced over the tyre valve so as to contact intimately therewith, the edges of opening 6 gripping the threaded portions of the tyre valve and maintaining the apparatus in place; valve 0 is then turned into the position shown in Figure 2 and compressed air is permitted to flow into the tyre; when a sufiicient pressure has been built up in the chamber a, pressure exterted via passages'a on piston e, forces the latter toward the right against the actionof spring 9; valve 01 follows the movement of pistone under the action of spring f, but when elements (Z and e have moved suff ciently far to the right to bring valve d into cont-act with the end of tube 2', valve d will be held in position while piston c continues to move; airowill then escape between the peripheral edges of valve (Z and the corresponding valve seating surface of piston e and will sound whistle j; the valve 0 may then be turned into closed position and the entire assembly may be removed from the tyre valve by exerting pressure on lever 12 so as todisengage flexible element 72 therefrom.

Valve cl may be set to release air at :any predetermined pressure by rotating head k so that graduations k indicatethe pressure desired. referringto Figure 2, it will be seen that plate 71: engaging in recess 70 of tube 2' will cause the latter to follow the outward and inward movement ofhead is when the latter is rotated on k.

If it be desiredto utilize the device for measuring the pressure inside a tyre, valve 0 is turned into closed position and the tube 15 having been moved as far to the right as possible by rotation of head is, the latter is gradually turned so as to move tube i to the left; as soon as tube 2' abuts against valve (1, air will escape between elements (Z and cand will sound whistle j; a reading of graduations will then give the pressure.

If during the use of the apparatus it be desired to release pressure into the atmosphere from chamber a or fromthe tyre, valve 0 is turned into the position shown in Figure 5 so as to bring chamber 'a into 'communica- I n u said valve when'the pressure in said chamber reaches a predetermined value.

2. A pressure indicating device comprising in combination a chamber provided with an opening adaptedto be connected to a source of fluid pressure, a piston responsive to changes in'pressure inside said chamber,said piston having an opening therein, a valve mounted insaid opening, and an abutment mounted to contact with said valve when the pressure in said chamber reaches a predetermined value, whereby said valve will no longer be able to foliow 'the movements of said piston.

'3. Apressure indicating assembly comprising in combination a chamber provided with an opening adapted to be connected to a source offiuid pressure, a piston mounted to respond to'changes in pressure inside said chamber, said piston having 7 an opening therein, a valve mounted in said opening, an abutment mounted to limit the movement of said valve, and means for adjusting the position of said abutment.

4. A structure as defined in claim 3 in combination with a whistle mounted to receive fluid escaping past said valve.

5. A pressure indicating assembly comprising in combinationa pressure chamber provided with an opening adapted to be connect ed to a source of fluid ressure a iston valve in contact with said piston, and an abutment mounted in line with saidvvalve and in the direction of movement of said piston, whereby under the action of increasing pressures, said piston is free to move, whereas said valve is prevented by said abutment from moving.

i ,6. A pressure indicating assemblycomprising a pressure chamber provided with an opening adapted to be connected to a source of fluid pressure, a piston responsive to changes in pressure inside said pressure chamber, said piston having an opening therein, a valve mounted in said, opening, spring means tending to maintain said valve in contact with said piston, a spring tendingto force said piston toward the pressure chamber, a tube positioned in alignment with said valve, said tube functioning as an abutment for limiting the movement of-said valve with said piston, and means for varying the relative position of said tube and said valve.

7. A structure as defined in claim 6 incombination with signalling means responsive to the movement of air through said tube.

8. A structure'as defined in claim6 in combination with acoustic means operative to sound when air passes said valve and enters said tube.

9. A structure as defined in claim 6 in combination with a conduit adapted to be connected to a source of fluid pressure, and-a three-way valve interposed between said conduit and said pressurechamber, said threeway valve being operative to place said pressure chamber in communication with either said conduit or the atmosphere.

10. A pressure indicating assembly comprising a chamber adapted to be connected to a source of pressure to be-measured,a whistle, means operative to establishconnection between said whistle and said chamber when the pressure in the latter reaches a predetermined value, a conduit, and a valve interposed between said conduit and said-chamber, said valve being operative to control communication between the conduit, and the chamber.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LOUIS MARCEL MERCI'ER.

mounted to respond to changes of pressure inside saidpressure chamber, said piston having an opening therein, a valve mounted said opening, a spring mounted to oppose movement of said piston under the action of increasing pressures inside-the pressure chamber, spring means tending to malntam said 

